Max and Alec and another locked room equals ?
by sinful starlet
Summary: Right this hopefully should run in order now - chapters 1 to 3 up! SS
1. chapter one

Max & Alec + elevator + another locked room = ?

By Sinful Starlet

Disclaimer: given the way the second season ended, I seriously doubt that anybody connected to the show would have written this, but just for the record - not mine, never will be, blah blah woof woof!

Rating: Not too sure - probably PG-13, but maybe R in places

Summary: Sequel to "Max & Alec + locked room = ?" So Alec kissed Max - what now? And what do an elevator and another locked room have to do with it all?

Author's note: Right, here it is - for those people who requested the sequel (and thank you to you all for making me write again!) I'm not sure if it's as funny as the last one but I'm giving it a go, and *standing on her soapbox* this is M/A all the way!! No way you can get the wrong idea now. 

Right - so hopefully you've read the other parts of this I've put up, I'm now trying to write this thing properly so this is going to be chapter one (it's a little rough and ready but at least it's written right?). The scene I've already posted will fit into the story later somehow - not sure how yet but I'm working on it! *SS*

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One

Max groaned when she woke up that morning, then again when the night before came flooding back to her. And then one image firmly planted itself in her consciousness. Over the top of the whole tableau of very bad things her brain was forcing her to relive - complete with the all-singing, all-dancing accompaniment of 'what the hell was I thinking?!' - someone came out with an overproduced hair-rock solo to the tune of 'Alec kissed me last night'!

She groaned again and rolled over, trying to shut out the entire show-stopping nightmare running through her mind. She reached for the glass of water beside her bed and without hesitation, threw it straight at her face. Okay, so she was all wet, but at least she could think clearly for a few seconds. The rational part of her brain quickly decided that wasn't a great idea.

What was she supposed to do now? Well, she figured work would have to happen at some point that day. But of course, with the thought of work, Alec's face came thudding back to the forefront of her thoughts. Actually, now it was more like Normal tap-dancing across her eyes, carrying Alec's face on a balloon. Definitely time for coffee.

*

Twenty minutes later, she had actually managed to get herself together enough to leave her bedroom and get showered and dressed. Original Cindy had already gone to work, leaving a note for Max saying she would meet her for lunch later. She sat sipping her coffee, trying to think of what, if anything she was gonna say to him, when she saw him. So far the jury was undecided - either screaming at him or punching him in the face seemed to be very attractive possibilities, but there was a still a determined little guy with a violin at the back of her mind trying to get the Disney version.

Was she actually mad at him? A large part of her rebelliously screamed 'yes' at this point, but not as loudly as she would have liked. So this meant what? She was attracted to Alec now? She repeated this last part out loud, and decided it sounded even more ridiculous that way. She could just imagine OC's face if she dropped that particular bombshell. Actually, she could just imagine OC collapsing in hysterical laughter and falling off her chair at the thought.

Right - not helping. It would be so much easier, Max thought, if it could all just be some stupid dream or drunken mistake, or even a heat-fuelled thing - but she was nowhere near a cycle and as far as she knew heat didn't affect X5 males at all. Which meant that Alec actually wanted to kiss her……..what?! Where the hell did that come from? She quickly sat on that thought, knowing it would immediately precede 'so did you wanna kiss him too?'

And she was so not ready to go down that road. She didn't get much of a chance to dwell on it though, as her cell phone interrupted her thoughts. She got up very gingerly to read the message that popped up on the screen. Really wanting it not to be Alec. Well she got her wish - it was Logan. 'Max - something's come up - come over to my place now if you can - it's important'. 

Oh God, Logan, she thought, smacking her forehead as she absorbed his message. Because she so needed to see him right now when she was having difficulty remembering which way was up! But it wasn't as if she had done anything wrong right? Alec kissed _her_……….God, she needed to stop thinking about that right now! No, it was Alec's twisted brain that'd gotten them into this mess - she would go and see Logan like nothing had happened. It's not like it meant anything right?

Erm…………….damn it!

*

Elsewhere, someone was having an equally confused morning. Alec woke up slowly, stretching like a cat as he sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes open to try and get some idea of what time it was. Well, it was morning, he guessed, he probably should get up for work. Then it hit him. Probably not as spectacularly as it hit Max, but the realisation was still there in full eye-boggling Technicolor. He had kissed Max.

Erm………okay, possibly not his smartest move, but he fairly quickly sat on that part of his conscience. He was still having fun with the memory! All in all, it'd been a pretty great evening. Ernie was a scream and that much time in a room with a hot and bothered Max had been…interesting to say the least! And that kiss………well! He absent-mindedly ran a thumb over his bottom lip, remembering with a smile, the look on Max's face as he had presented her with his 'third time lucky' option!

Okay, so in all probability he was a dead man today, but there had to be worse reasons to go. That said, it would probably be a good idea to avoid her that morning - the wrath of Max was a terrible thing, as certain parts of his anatomy would never forget! He reached for his cell phone to call Normal and say that he wouldn't be in till later, but didn't get the chance, as the phone started to ring in his hand. He answered it gingerly, thinking it might have been Max ready to bite his head off, but then he figured she was more likely to do that in person so he was probably ok. 

"Hello?", he asked eventually. "Oh hey", he said, trying to mask his slight sigh of relief, "no I was already up……well you know that wasn't exactly my fault……yeah, yeah ok, whatever you say man!" He rolled his eyes as he listened to the other guy drone on for a minute, "What, right now?………….Yeah, ok, just gimme twenty minutes". He hung up then before the other guy had a chance to respond - oh well, looks like he wouldn't get the chance to avoid Max after all, but she couldn't be that mad.

Right?………………

Well, that was chapter one - love it? Hate it? Oh well, at least it's written (like I said before) I'll try and write something better next time - this was kind of a one-hour rush job! Hope ya like it anyway! *SS*


	2. chapter two

Max & Alec + elevator + another locked room = ?

By Sinful Starlet

Disclaimer: given the way the second season ended, I seriously doubt that anybody connected to the show would have written this, but just for the record - not mine, never will be, blah blah woof woof!

Rating: Not too sure - probably PG-13, but maybe R in places

Summary: Sequel to "Max & Alec + locked room = ?" So Alec kissed Max - what now? And what do an elevator and another locked room have to do with it all?

Author's note: Right, here it is - for those people who requested the sequel (and thank you to you all for making me write again!) I'm not sure if it's as funny as the last one but I'm giving it a go, and *standing on her soapbox* this is M/A all the way!! No way you can get the wrong idea now. 

Chapter two up - again, kinda short, but this is basically just the set up for the second part of the story, trust me good stuff is definitely on the way! *SS*

Two

Max almost turned round as soon as she got to Logan's building. She was just going to chain up her bike when she noticed one already there………Alec's bike. Someone up there was definitely having a laugh at her life right now. She did seriously contemplate just calling Logan and saying she couldn't make it, but that would have just meant too many questions. So, swallowing the mess of emotions flooding her at that moment, she chained her bike up next to Alec's and walked into the building, heading for the elevator.

She didn't bother knocking the door when she reached it, figuring it'd already be open, which it was. She hesitated for about thirty seconds mentally slapping herself until she could summon something like rational thought (and tap-dancing, balloon-carrying Normal had disappeared from her mind) and then opened the door, closing it behind her and walking towards the sounds of voices coming from the living room.

Figures, she thought with a slight smile on her lips. Alec couldn't have gotten there much before she did, and he and Logan were already arguing. Or rather Logan was arguing and Alec was just trying to wind Logan up, which he was getting fairly good at by now. He looked up, smiling, and said hi as she walked into the room, which immediately put Max on edge again. 'Hey Max' - what the hell was that supposed to mean? Did it mean 'Hey Max - weird night last night, huh?' or 'Hey Max - can you believe Logan actually needs our help again?' or 'Hey Max, you're looking particularly………..' - okay so she didn't need to go down that third road. 

Logan looked up to, also smiling, though not as cheerfully as Alec - he was clearly losing patience with the male X5 but was equally determined not to let it show. Well, he was failing miserably at that, but she couldn't blame him. "What's up?", she asked, really needing a change of subject, anything to detract from the look Alec was still shooting in her direction.

Logan didn't reply right away, feeling Alec turn to look at him with a smirk on his face, "Remember Arthur Milton I was talking about yesterday?" "Yeah", Max said, gingerly not sure where this was going. She wanted to sit down, but the only seat not completely covered with Logan's papers or occupied was on the sofa next to Alec and that was so not happening right now! "Well it turns out the Herriott Bank wasn't the only one on his hitlist. Since he lost the plans for that place he's apparently gonna go after the Weatherly Trust instead". 

"It's a private vault building", Logan went on, seeing the look on Max's face as she realised where this was going, "houses the personal valuables of most of Seattle's elite, but it's been in the press lately because they've just taken delivery of the NASPC charity funds, raised at the ball two nights ago". "So we've get another trip back to Milton's place to snatch some more blueprints - another fun-filled evening, huh Max?"

Max forced herself not to whip round when she heard Alec say that. It could be taken entirely innocently, but what were the odds that Alec had been thinking innocently? She got a distraction anyway when Logan rounded on Alec and started arguing again. Apparently this was what they had been in the middle of before. "Hold up, hold up!", Max said, cutting them both off as she stepped further into the room, "What were you trying to say Logan?" "Shut up Alec!", she added quickly, before the other X5 could say anything. 'Uh oh!', Alec thought - guessing she really was gonna kick his ass later!

"The 'prints aren't at Milton's house", Logan said, with a look of some satisfaction at Max shutting Alec up. "What?", Alec cut in, unable to stop himself cutting in. "That's what I was trying to say", Logan said, exasperation returning to his voice, "after last night, Milton's having his whole home security system updated - till then, everything's been kept in a temporary facility somewhere on the waterfront". "I've managed to track the place down and it doesn't look too bad - there's a numeric lock on the door, but I've got an informant who thinks he should be able to get his hands on the code".

"So you want us to go in and grab the blueprints for the Weatherly Trust place, right?", Max asked, sitting down next to Alec, in spite of her own better judgement, but taking care not to look at him. "Yeah", Logan said, a little apologetically, "I'm sorry to have to ask again Max, it's just tonight's the only---". "Wait a minute!", Max cut in, "you want this done tonight?" "The new system should be up by tomorrow", Logan said, sounding even more apologetic, "so it's tonight or not at all".

Max swore inwardly, she really didn't need to spend another night alone with Alec, least of all right now. It was only then that she chanced a look at him, giving herself a particularly harsh mental slap for the purr that threatened to rise in her throat. Damn but he looked good, his thin grey t-shirt clinging in all the right places to his muscular arms and…………damn it! "What do you think?", she said quickly, so quickly it almost came out as a snap, making Alec look a little uneasy.

"Erm……..", he started, hesitating a little while he tried to size up Max's behaviour at that moment, then giving up, "…well as much as I hate to say this, it looks like we're gonna have to go and save the day again Maxie!" Oops. The 'Maxie' was definitely pushing it. The look in Max's eyes instantly went from 'murderous' to 'flat-out fatal, complete with coffin and appropriately trimmed wreath'! "Max?", Logan asked, breaking the more than awkward silence in the room, "You ok?"

"What?", she said, rounding on him a little harshly, then managing a weak smile as an apology. "Sorry Logan, guess I'm a little frazzled this morning - of course we'll help". The 'we' caught Alec's ear if no one else's. "What time do you want us back here?", Max went on quickly. "About eight?", Logan said, relaxing a little as Max seemed to return to the job in hand, turning to knock off the mail notification on his computer, "As long as my guy comes through with the code I can't see it being too complicated".

"Good", Max said, standing up and unconsciously making the men follow suit, "well I better jet then - gotta show up at work sometime today - call me if there's anything else?" Logan nodded. Max did seem to be acting a little oddly, but he didn't want to ask what with Alec there. Alec reached down to pick up his jacket, not realising that Max was already making her way out the door. Noticing at last, he managed a quick parting shot at Logan and hurried after Max.

__

Right - not sure how the ff.net formatting will have worked, but basically that little insert scene I posted before now fits into the story right after this one as chapter three - hopefully it should make sense.*SS*


	3. chapter three

Max & Alec + elevator + another locked room = ?

By Sinful Starlet

Disclaimer: given the way the second season ended, I seriously doubt that anybody connected to the show would have written this, but just for the record - not mine, never will be, blah blah woof woof!

****

Rating: Not too sure - probably PG-13, but maybe R in places

****

Summary: Sequel to "Max & Alec + locked room = ?" So Alec kissed Max - what now? And what do an elevator and another locked room have to do with it all?

****

Author's note: Right, here it is - for those people who requested the sequel (and thank you to you all for making me write again!) I'm not sure if it's as funny as the last one but I'm giving it a go, and *standing on her soapbox* this is M/A all the way!! No way you can get the wrong idea now. 

****

IMPORTANT NOTE: right, I posted this before as an insert scene because I hadn't written anything else, but this now functions as chapter three of the story so apologies if you've already read it, but at least it makes sense in context now! *SS*

_____________________________________________________________________

Max couldn't get out of the apartment soon enough, being in such close proximity to Logan and Alec when she was having all these conflicting feelings was really not healthy! Unfortunately there was only really one way back down to the street. Well that wasn't strictly true, but she didn't really feel like taking the stairs and Alec was already following her into the elevator. She let out a barely audible sigh as the doors slid shut and was only brought out of her silent reverie by the thud of the brakes as Alec pressed the emergency stop button.

She wheeled round to face him, all ready with a "What the hell did you do that for?", but he got there first. "Ok, I give up - what the hell is up with you today?" "What?!", Max said, startled, but trying not to show it, "What are you talking about?" He let out a slightly comical sigh whilst dodging to block her in her attempts to reach the restart button, "Oh yeah, you're fine", he said sarcastically, "come on Max! You're so wound up you're giving 'on edge' a bad name!"

She gave up trying to reach the controls then, obviously they weren't going anywhere until she had given him at least some kind of answer, although she had no idea what he was waiting for. She knew why she was mad with him, but she didn't have a clue what his problem with her was. It was only then that she realised that she hadn't said anything for about thirty seconds and Alec wasn't yelling at her at all. He was just standing, leaning against the wall opposite her with his arms folded across his chest, just waiting for her to eventually say something.

He didn't even look mad, just sort of......what was that? Concern? Damn it! She really didn't have a clue what he was thinking and that was bugging her more than anything else. "Come on Max", he said again, much more softly this time, uncrossing his arms and walking a little closer to her, "I'm not moving this elevator till you tell me what's wrong......but I would kinda like to get out by lunch time if that's possible!"

The joke didn't go down well...at all. She was just starting to think that maybe there was something there between them after all and he had to go and make some typical smart-Alec remark like nothing had happened the night before. Well, she had two options as far as she could see - either act like nothing's wrong and try and bluff it out or tell him the truth about the way she was feeling now, and that _really_ wasn't tempting. She decided to give option one a go - well she tried anyway. 

"What's wrong with _me_?", she said, sounding a little more angry than she intended as she began to pace the elevator, well as much as she could round an 8-foot square space! "What about you?" He leaned back against the elevator wall again, an expression of confusion crossing his face, "Not sure I'm following ya". Max sighed, "Figures!" He frowned this time so she held up her hand to stop him interrupting while she tried to think of something else to say. "I just...", she hesitated, not sure this was her best idea, "...I just don't get how you're acting today".

"Excuse me?", Alec asked, getting even more confused. He didn't get it before, and if anything the situation was getting more complicated by the second. Of course, the fact that Max was standing all of about eighteen inches away from him wasn't exactly helping his concentration at that particular moment! He glanced at her then, seeing a frown on her face as if she was trying to psych herself up for something. Not a bad guess really.

"I'm not sure what you think I've done Max, but if you're offering an explanation I wouldn't complain!" "Okay", Max said under her breath, the subtle approach didn't seem to be working, let's see if spelling it out works. "I don't understand how you can act so cold today, I mean last night you're kissing me, today you're......well I don't know what you're doing today but---". She stopped short then.

She didn't really know what she had been expecting - surprise, confusion, but laughter definitely hadn't been on the list. But there he was, not exactly rolling on the floor, but laughing just the same. "God Alec, for once could you just take something seriously?" "I'm sorry", he said, stopping laughing fairly abruptly, although a smile still remained, "I guess I was just waiting for you to kick my ass for that kiss!" She couldn't help but smile a little at that, missing the look of realisation that suddenly crossed his face.

"So that's what was bothering you?", he asked, his voice suddenly more serious and quieter. Max nodded, but then hesitated, he was clearly waiting for something else but she didn't know what. "But what exactly _was_ your point?", he asked, moving round to stand in front of her where she had stepped away from him before. "Are you mad because I kissed you yesterday or...", he hesitated himself then, almost as if he was trying to convince himself that he wasn't about to make the biggest mistake of his life, "...or are you mad because I _haven't_ kissed you today?" 

Uh oh. And after all the subtexts and explanations that had been whirling round Max's head, it all came down to that one simple question. And she really didn't know what to say. This was _Alec _she was thinking about! The guy that seemed to spend most of his life complicating hers, and making her crazier than anybody else ever could. But if it was really nothing then why couldn't she get the memory of that stolen half-kiss out of her mind? 

She had been glancing down at her feet for the last few minutes, and only now did she risk a look up when she saw the other pair of feet in the elevator moving closer to hers. "Okay Max", Alec was saying, although she was having a hard time concentrating on the actual words he was using, "as it seems you're not having a great day in terms of sayin' anything, how about this?" He stopped when he was about a foot away from her, "I don't know what's going on inside your head Max, but I think we have to do something about it". 

He hesitated for a second, seeming to come to a decision in his head before he spoke again, "Right - in about ten seconds, I'm gonna kiss you. If you don't want me to, then all you have to do is stop me and we can go back to antagonising the hell out of each other like we normally do...but if you do...". He didn't need to finish the sentence, he was already edging closer and closer to her, their faces now so near to each other that Max could feel Alec's breath on her cheek. This is it, she thought, no chance of misunderstandings this time...She couldn't tell whether she was relieved or disappointed when just before they finally touched, there was a loud clunk and the elevator doors slid open again to reveal a rather surprised-looking Logan!

"I thought you guys would have gone by now", he said, still looking surprised to see them there. "Almost", Alec said, seeing that Max wasn't really up to answering herself at that moment, "we had to wait for the elevator". Logan seemed to accept this, though he remained a little suspicious - the look on Max's face that she was now trying to conceal, gave him enough cause for concern. There was definitely something up with her today, he thought, but it didn't seem like he was going to get a chance to ask what just then.

"Yeah, we got it", Alec said, a little sarcastically, interrupting Logan's train of thought, "you really worry too much Logan - it's just not healthy!" Max had to suppress a laugh, given the indignant look on Logan's face, but he didn't seem to notice. "Alright - well I'll see you two later", Logan said at last, realising they did actually have to show up for work at some point that day. Alec managed some vague response as Max nodded, watching Logan walk back into his apartment before the elevator doors slid shut once more.

"Well", Alec started, a wicked smile starting to cross his face, "that was close, huh Ma--?" He didn't exactly get the chance to finish the sentence. As soon as Max had felt the elevator start to move, so that she knew there was no chance of Logan bursting in on them again, she had pressed her lips against Alec's. At first Alec was going to break it off to add some witty comment that had just come to mind, but the continued soft pressure of her lips against his wasn't exactly an incentive to push her away.

He relaxed back into the kiss, running his hands up her face to comb them gently through her hair as she moaned into his mouth. Alec was entirely grateful for their Manticore-engineered ability to hold their breath as they didn't break the kiss even once all the way down from floor 23 to the lobby. They only separated once the elevator stopped and the doors slid open again. Max clearly wasn't quite ready to make a public spectacle of herself just yet.

In actual fact, there were only about three other people in the lobby of Logan's building, and they barely noticed the two leaving the elevator and walking fairly rapidly towards the outside door. Alec was a little confused, though he was firmly sitting on any rational objections to what they had just done. He was doing a little better than Max anyway. She hadn't noticed the blush on her face until she got outside and the distinctly cooler air stung her cheeks. All this time she had managed to avoid looking directly at Alec as well, though she knew she wouldn't be able to keep that up.

It wasn't that she was regretting what she had just done - in fact few things in her life had felt as good as that kiss, but she had no idea what to do or say now. Eventually he was the one that forced some communication. He stepped in front of her, gently lifting her chin up so she was forced to look into his eyes. What she saw there just about stopped her breathing. He was looking at her in a way that he never had before. There was something serious in his eyes, usually full of mischief, that she had never noticed before. It was almost like hunger. He seemed to devour her with his gaze, but there was something else too. She saw underneath the desire only too evident now - he was just as uncertain as she was.

"Well?", Alec said, letting her off the hook as she still hadn't said anything. "Well...", she said, apparently not able to think of anything else to say and managing an awkward smile. Alec hesitated again, trying to get some kind of clue from Max, anything even. Then he gave up. "Screw it", he said, almost under his breath. Max had just enough time to form a confused expression before she found his lips back on hers. If Alec had been uncertain before, he certainly wasn't showing it now, pouring months of longing and frustration into the most passionate kiss Max had ever had in her life.

She couldn't help it this time, the blush on her cheeks as they pulled apart approaching crimson. But he didn't pull back from her. He stood back enough to give her room to breathe, but kept his arms wrapped round her waist and his forehead resting against hers. "You ok?", he asked at last, tearing his eyes from her lips and looking her in the eye. She still hadn't exactly calmed down, but she did manage a sly smile when she replied, "After that, you have to ask?" Alec smiled too, brushing his lips against hers far more lightly this time. His heightened Manticore sensory awareness had already allowed him to notice that they were drawing something of an audience from the few people on the street at that time, but he'd never exactly been one to care what other people thought of him.

Well, maybe he did care what one person thought of him, but he certainly wasn't bothered about anybody else at that moment. "So what do you wanna do?", he asked, not sounding quite as confident as he would have liked. "_Well_", Max said, comically arching an eyebrow at the use of that word again. She moved her arms around the back of his neck and kissed him again before she said, "We probably should at least put in an appearance at work again some time today - I know Normal loves your ass, but he'd have no problem firing mine!"

Alec jokily shuddered at her turn of phrase, "I don't think it's my _ass_ Normal loves - at least I hope it's not, but that wasn't exactly my question". "What was it again?", Max asked, feigning innocence, "I forget". "I said...", Alec started punctuating each word with a kiss to Max's neck which was making it seriously hard for her to concentrate, "what...", kiss, "...do...", kiss, "...you...", kiss, "...wanna do?", finishing with another kiss to her mouth. Max moaned against his lips, pulling him closer to her, though she pulled away a second later, looking a little shocked. 

"Not me", Alec said, smiling but managing to look comically disappointed at the same time. Max swore and grabbed her vibrating cell-phone out of the pocket in her jeans - remembering the similar situation from last night all too well! "What?", she said, sounding somewhat frustrated as she answered the call. "Damn girl!", came OC's voice on the other end, sounding quite amused, "Sorry I called!" "Sorry boo", Max said, calming down a little, "you just surprised me a little is all", mouthing a further sorry to Alec. 

"Evidently!", Cindy replied, a little sarcastically, "So what's the what? You meeting me for lunch like today or should I just go get pizza with Sketchy?" Max sighed, remembering just in time to hold the phone away from her face as she did so, "I'm on my way", she said at last, "I just got a little tied up at Logan's". The potential other meanings of that sentence were definitely not lost on Alec, whose suggestive look almost prompted Max to drop the phone from trying to hold her silent laughter in. "I'll see you in 10", she said at last, hanging up once OC had replied.

__

Okay well I hope you liked that preview, cos that's all you're getting for the time being! Uni work is a little excessive at the mo. I'll try and get on with the story as soon as I can, but it might take a while! Thanks for reading anyway! *SS*


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